“T]he truth is that today recyclers can’t deliver the level of material transparency that many brands are asking for.” Anne-Sofie Andersson, on the European Chemical Agency’s new database, which will include all EU Candidate List chemicals in all products placed on the EU market and will serve recyclers with information about chemical content (13 Nov).

“What progress has the Accord made here in Bangladesh? After five years they could only handover 20 out of more than 1,600 factories they have inspected so far.” Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, on the Accord’s threat to invalidate factory compliance if a high court restraining order to remove the initiative from the country on 30 November (13 Nov).

“Jean Paul Gaultier is a hypocrite to describe fur as deplorable. He has worked with and sold fur for years. So why the sudden change of mind? Why would he listen to PETA, an animal rights group that have made statements offensive to gay and Jewish people?” Mark Oaten, chief executive officer of the International Fur Federation, on Gaultier’s announcement on French TV that he plans to stop using fur (12 Nov).

TK Maxx and Amazon among shops selling real fur as faux: “Shops including Amazon and TK Maxx have been selling faux fur clothes and bags which are actually made from rabbit, fox and raccoon dog fur, a BBC Watchdog Live investigation has found” (14 Nov). [Ed’s note: other brands named are AX Paris and Missy Empire.]

The power of partners: “Recently, C&A, an international fashion retail clothing chain, released the world’s first Cradle to Cradle Certified™ GOLD denim jeans … The Cradle to Cradle Certified GOLD jeans were achieved through C&A’s close collaboration with Fashion for Good — an initiative connecting brands, producers, retailers, suppliers, non-profit organizations, innovators and funders to work together in a shared ambition to make the fashion industry a force for good” (14 Nov).

Fast Retailing becomes UN Global Compact signatory: “In October this year, Fast Retailing became a signatory to the UN Global Compact. The goals of the UN Global Compact are to foster responsible action among companies and organizations to materialize sustainable growth for the international community. So far, over 12,000 entities have committed to the Compact” (14 Nov).

Patagonia’s most sustainable collection to date: “For the Fall 2018/2019 season, Patagonia’s range of snow garments built with recycled materials continues to increase, diverting about 215,000 pounds of factory scraps and plastic bottles from the waste stream and into the snow gear it makes” (13 Nov).

Oxfam and Burberry: Moving ‘beyond audit’ to impact: “Engaging with Burberry as a ‘critical friend’ has helped Oxfam to understand barriers and opportunities for better workers’ rights. Rachel Wilshaw describes how collaboration has enabled us to innovate and test solutions together” (13 Nov).

Asos signs up to ZDHC: Asos has become a signatory to the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme, an industry collaboration of brands, value chain partners and associates, driving the industry towards more sustainable chemistry (13 Nov).

Pentland Brands announces five new charity partners: “Pentland Brands has announced new partnerships with five charities, to last until 2021. The company said in a statement, the UK and international charities, which were chosen by its employees, provide valuable support in disadvantaged communities and embody its family business principle of ‘In Good Conscience’” (13 Nov).

Uniqlo releases two more “Unlocking The Power of Clothing” videos: “Uniqlo has adopted a new sustainability statement, “Unlocking The Power of Clothing.” With a focus on products, the supply chain, employees, and stores and communities, we will carry out initiatives through our business to change the world for the better” (13 Nov). [Ed’s note: the two video are “Products” and “Supply Chains”.]

As fashion moves toward sustainability, streetwear’s major players are notably silent on environmental impacts: “As consumers become more aware of the insidious effect that the global fashion industry has on the environment, fashion brands have responded by embracing sustainability both as a business practice and a marketing tool. Yet the biggest names in streetwear, one of the buzziest and most influential sectors of the fashion industry at the moment, seem to have far less of an interest in making sustainability a priority” (13 Nov). [Ed’s note: brands mentioned include Palace, Bathing Ape, Off-White, Public School, 1017 Alyx 9SM, and Noah.]

H&M to abolish use of plastic bags at Japan stores: “H&M, which operates 88 H&M casual clothing stores in the country, said Tuesday that it will abolish the use of plastic shopping bags in December.The company plans to sell paper bags for ¥20 apiece instead, aiming to encourage customers to bring their own bags … The company plans to donate some of the profits from its sales of paper bags to World Wide Fund for Nature Japan” (13 Nov).

Top UK fashion brands team up with law enforcement to combat modern slavery: “Major British retailers including Marks & Spencer, John Lewis and Next are joining forces with law enforcement agencies in a bid to eradicate labour exploitation and modern slavery from the fashion industry [in the UK], Britain’s anti-slavery body said on Tuesday” (13 Nov). [Ed’s note: the other brands involved are New Look, River Island and Shop Direct.]

This brand’s sneakers could be world’s most sustainable — here’s why: “French fashion brand Veja makes sneakers with raw materials sourced from organic farming and ecological agriculture that the founders say avoids chemicals and polluting processes. The distinctive kicks might just be the world’s most sustainable, according to CNN Business” (12 Nov).

The optimized anti-style of Allbirds shoes: “The San Francisco-based brand Allbirds makes shoes so soft and flexible that you can bend them almost a hundred and eighty degrees in your hands. When worn, the lightweight rubber soles flare out at the ball of the foot, creating a slightly geriatric silhouette” (12 Nov). [Ed’s note: this review, from The New Yorker, hardly mentions sustainability at all; something of a breakthrough for a sustainable fashion brand.]

Putting the brakes on fast fashion: “Pioneering solutions to address environmental challenges will be at the heart of the fourth UN Environment Assembly next March [where it] will formally launch the UN Alliance on Sustainable Fashion to encourage the private sector, governments and non-governmental organizations to create an industry-wide push for action to reduce fashion’s negative social, economic and environmental impact and turn it into a driver for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals” (12 Nov). [Ed’s note: article is by UN Environment, which notes the following brands/manufacturers as exemplary: Ecoalf, GumDrop, Explicit, Patagonia, Polartec, Nudie Jeans, Tonlé, Wintervacht, Indosole, Queen of Raw, Novel Supply, H&M, Guess, I:CO, Mud Jeans, Rent the Runway, Girl Meets Dress, and YCloset.]

Gaultier may join ranks of designers going fur-free: “Could Jean Paul Gaultier be the latest designer set to go fur-free? The couturier this weekend on French Saturday night TV show “Bonsoir!” said that’s the plan going forward. A Gaultier spokeswoman declined to confirm the news, however, adding that the designer is traveling” (12 Nov). [Ed’s note: in the last issue of the newsletter (FSWIR 46.1), the news story I linked suggested this was a done deal; this story suggests it is may not.]

Say goodbye to down with the United By Blue bison puffer jacket: “United By Blue just launched a new winter jacket in a way that’s sustainable, nearly unprecedented, and distinctly stylish. The brand believes that what’s in your jacket is more important than you think, hence the launch of the Bison Puffer, a seasonally friendly favorite that just so happens to be filled with sustainable B100 bison insulation” (07 Nov). [Ed’s note: if you’re wondering what B100 is … see here.]

Vegan campaigners release new ‘horrifying’ footage of animal abuse on sheep farms: “Vegan campaigners have released never-seen-before footage they say documents animal abuse on 49 farms across the UK. The footage, acquired by animal rights charity PETA Asia, shows workers punching sheep in the face, slamming their heads into the floor, beating and kicking them, and throwing them off shearing trailers. According to the charity, it has submitted more than seven hours of footage from the 49 farms visited to Trading Standards and the Scottish SPCA and filed detailed complaints of workers punching, beating, kicking, and stamping on sheep” (15 Nov).

Circularising the textile industry: the challenge begins with product design: “The French National Institute for the Circular Economy (INEC) has made an assessment of the circular economy’s status in the textile/apparel industry, underlining the existing limitations to textile recycling, and the need to anticipate the possibility of reusing materials from the initial design stage” (14 Nov).

Louisiana cotton farmer Jay Hardwick wins 2018 Farmer of the Year: “Honoring the extraordinary contributions of a farmer who is committed advancing sustainable agriculture through outstanding conservation and stewardship efforts on their farm and sharing best practices with their peers, this year’s Farmer of the Year recognizes Louisiana cotton farmer Jay Hardwick for his leadership and dedication to sustainability” (14 Nov).

‘Made in Romania’: the story behind the tag: “According to the figures of Employers Federation of Textile, Garments and Leather Industry (FEPAIUS), the Romanian textile-clothing industry represented 10.8 % of exports in 2016. There were over 7428 companies working in fashion: 4116 in clothing, 1312 in textiles and about 2,000 in leather. Furthermore, 4.51 % of the total Romanian workforce is linked one way or another to the fashion industry” (14 Nov).

Who pays for your fashion? “The Garment Worker Diaries collected from data on the lives of those who make our clothes unveil harsh truths” (13 Nov).

Not knowing which hazardous chemicals are in our products is crazy – the new waste database is not: The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) is building “a database that will include all EU Candidate List chemicals in all products placed on the EU market … One of its purposes is to serve recyclers with information about the chemical content in the things that they are converting into new materials. Chemical transparency is something ChemSec, as well as many brands, has been screaming about for years. It’s essential in order to increase the value of recycled materials, and I urge all recyclers to see the potential here: you will be able to sell your product at an increased price to a whole new set of customers” (13 Nov).

European Parliament slams Bangladesh Government on human rights and calls for the continuation of the Accord: “Today the European Parliament passed a resolution calling on the Bangladesh Government to urgently act to address deteriorating human rights conditions. European Parliament slams Bangladesh Government on human rights and calls for the continuation of the Accord. The resolution calls on the Government to address a multitude of human rights abuses such as the ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression and association, extra judicial killings, enforced disappearances, excessive use of force, anti-union discrimination and other labour rights abuses. Notably the Resolution takes a strong stance on the Transition Accord on Fire and Building Safety calling on the Bangladesh government to allow the work of the Accord to continue beyond November 2018. Currently, the Transition Accord is set to be expelled from Bangladesh on 30 November 2018” (15 Nov).

“Bangladesh puts trade with EU on game by refusing inspection clothing factories”: “The European Parliament demands that Bangladesh international inspections of Bangladesh’s garment factories are not denied. At the end of this month, foreign inspectors (with the Accord) are no longer welcome in Bangladesh. MEP Agnes Jongerius warns the Bangladeshi government that the European Parliament is not afraid to reconsider trade agreements between Europe and the Asian country if the Accord is shut down. The EU is Bangladesh’s most important trading partner” (15 Nov – in Dutch).

Tofail blasts Accord: “Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed yesterday came down hard on the Accord for its intent to sever business ties with 532 garment factories for their alleged poor progress in remediation. “We cannot accept this,” he said in a programme on compliance in Bangladesh's garment sector at The Westin hotel in Dhaka” (13 Nov).

Bangladesh needs to get serious about workers’ rights and safety: “The next weeks are crucial to see whether the Government of Bangladesh will continue to expel the Accord. The EU should respond and make a stand towards the Bangladeshi government to improve labour conditions and to ensure full cooperation with the 2018 Transition Accord until an independent assessment concludes that the Bangladeshi national institutions are fit to take over” (13 Nov). [Ed’s note: by Ben Vanpeperstraete from Clean Clothes Campaign.]

MANUFACTURERS

Four manufacturers sign up to ZDHC: Meghmani Dyes and Intermediates, Denim Expert, Eastman Exports Global Clothing, and Sateri have become signatories to the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme, an industry collaboration of brands, value chain partners and associates, driving the industry towards more sustainable chemistry (13 Nov).

Performance Days announces ECO Performance award winners: Performance Days (the functional fabric fair) has announced the two Performance awards for outstanding new developments in the areas of function and sustainability. The two awardees are Jou Jou Fish, for a 100% recycled nylon designed with a micro-porous and is produced without solvents, and Green Threads Inc., for a tear-resistant fabric produced with a significantly reduced amount of raw materials and energy consumed in production (13 Nov).

More areas get water ‘polluted by textile units’: “A section of farmers receiving irrigation water from the branch canals of Cauvery petitioned the district collector on Monday seeking steps to stop the contaminated water they had been receiving of late. Displaying the bottles of water in black and green, they alleged that effluents discharged from textile dyeing units in neighbouring districts were responsible for the pollution” (13 Nov).

DyStar combats counterfeit textile dyes: “Textile chemicals company DyStar has been successful in securing the destruction of 3.3 tonnes of textiles dyes, judged to infringe a patent of the company’s for the manufacture of its reactive red dyes” (13 Nov).

*06 December, Webinar: Organic textile labeling in the US: “Learn more about U.S. regulations in organic textile labeling, different kinds of organic claims, and how the Organic Content Standard (OCS) and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) can be used to help support labeling organic textiles.

Disclaimer: The Fashion Sustainability Week in Review (FSWIR) is a twice-weekly roundup of sustainability news items relevant to the fashion, apparel, textile and related industries. The views and opinions expressed in the FSWIR by individual authors and/or media outlets cited do not necessarily reflect the position of GoBlu International or any individual associated with the company.